


Musings

by FictionChroniclerNick



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 07:38:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16280408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionChroniclerNick/pseuds/FictionChroniclerNick
Summary: Set in one of the many expeditions of the 104th.





	Musings

_Set in one of the many expeditions of the 104th._

Today was a rarity.

Eren lost track, but they must have covered several kilometers of open ground today, which meant a lot of riding and saddle soreness galore. Even after several months of horseback riding, there always came the point when every fiber of his being simply had to get off the saddle, even as the Corps was supplied better quality horse gear through the years. After a physically and mentally taxing day of noting landmarks for cartography and being on the lookout for Titans, very few things were as pleasant to see as the cabin headquarters of the Corps tinged orange by the early evening sun.

Despite the grueling pace of the day's near nonstop riding, any of them could hardly complain—not one Titan was encountered and more importantly, no one died. These thoughts were in everyone's minds even as supper was served in the mess hall where too many seats were unfilled. One long table was enough to accommodate the surviving members of the 104th, with Levi Ackerman at the head of the table and the mad scientist of a Commander nowhere in sight. The new recruits, too fresh and too new for the upcoming fights, were scattered in smaller tables.

"What's on your mind?" the Corps' blond strategist took a seat beside him, plate of smoking venison (another rarity) and mashed potatoes in hand.

"Nothing worth discussing. What's on yours?"

Armin noticed the other man's struggle to suppress a foul mood. He respected his friend's decision, "I'm just glad we made fantastic progress today. Covered a lot of ground today, so that means a wealth of information for the maps in the works. And to top it all off, not a single engagement today. That's what scares me, actually."

"Almost like the calm before a storm?"

"Precisely. Almost as if we're given some reprieve before something dastardly happens."

"Mhm. Wish I shared your optimism, Armin."

"Oh drop it. Anyway, whatever happens, you know I'll be by your side."

"Same goes for me."

Yet even as they said the words, apprehension for whatever the hell would come next never really left them. They finished the rest of their meals in mostly silence. In around half an hour, they left the mess hall for their small yet comfortably familiar cabin rooms.

Eren just finished with the common men's room when he noticed that entrance to the cabin was open. Leaving the door open was to court death if the Captain ever found out. He was just about to close it when he noticed a raven-haired woman sitting by the steps, her thin nightgown her only means to ward off the cold.

"If you're gonna stay out here, bring a jacket at least."

She nearly winced as he sat next to her—close, but not encroaching in her own space. She must've been really deep in thought to be startled, Eren thought.

"It's fine, I wasn't planning on staying long anyway. Thanks."

"Listen, I know I'm no good at this, but you can tell me if anything's bothering you," he leaned closer, their shoulders brushing slightly, "How do I put this—I've barely seen you the whole week, and I just got worried."

"Nothing you need to bother yourself with, Eren."

"Try me, but only if you wanna talk about it."

There was silence. And at first, Eren thought she zoned out again he saw her face, the thin lines of fresh tears faintly reflecting the evening full moon. She was crying, and yet her voice didn't betray it. She was nearly freezing, yet her body refused to shiver.

"I miss my parents, Eren. I've been dreaming about them lately, and it's almost worse than the other dreams. With the others, I could brute-force my way to sleep. But with Mom and Dad, I just... I can't..."

Gingerly, he looped an arm around her, giving her time to push back if needed, but no such need arose. She leaned into his neck, his right hand lightly rubbing the top of her head. If they had to remain like that for a while, neither would have minded.

"I miss them so much," her voice broke at the last word.

"I know. I know. They must've been good people. I miss my Mom too."

"My parents, your Mom... I wasn't strong enough to save—"

"Shh, that's enough now," he replied as soothingly as he could, making everything as he went along like he usually did, "There's nothing you could've done and we can't change what happened. None of that is on you, Mikasa.

"Know what you did do? Saved me. Pulled my ass from harm's way more times than I honestly deserve."

"Stop that," she teased, though he could finally feel the beginning of a smile form on her face.

"C'mere," he kissed her hair and lingered longer than a friend would've, breathing in and out in soft raven locks, completely oblivious to the effect he had on his best friend.

"Just focus on the present right now," he said softly, feeling her breathing to assume a more regular cadence, "What you have right now isn't going anywhere."

"I'd love that very much."

Within a few minutes, his guardian was sound asleep on his shoulder, making soft childlike snores that belied the soldier's prowess on the battlefield. With his other arm secure on her back, he scooped up her knees and carried her to her room, the girl sound asleep. Mikasa was nearing Eren's weight, but Eren didn't dare tell her that.

He opened the door as gingerly as he could, taking care not to bump her against the doorframe or doorjamb. The pale moonlight shyly peeking through the shutters vaguely showed the outline of the room, and so he found her bunk on one corner. She was set down, the covers pulled around her. He kissed her forehead after, grateful that he found her when she wasn't at her best.

"I love you," she murmured, and it was difficult to pinpoint the source whether it came from the hazy musings of the unconsciousness or the deliberate wakefulness of consciousness. Before he could second guess himself, he embraced her, uttered the same words so softly and closely that what they had was theirs alone, and felt her lips with his own, prolonged by her hand behind his hair and the other clutching his shirt, never to let go.


End file.
